Lafayette approves proposal for town's second pot shop

Saying there are "no positive outcomes," one person commented Tuesday night at the Lafayette City Council meeting against a second marijuana shop up for consideration in the city.

"It's a really big deal for people who care about the future of our youth,"said Sue Anderson of Boulder, regarding the emergence of marijuana dispensaries in the community.

Consideration of a building plan for the proposed shop, 1669 Coal Creek Drive, was on the city council's consent agenda, so Anderson spoke during public comment as she urged council members to reject the proposal.

A rendering of the proposed Shaketown Dispensary. The proposal is for Lafayette's second retail marijuana dispensary at 1669 Coal Creek Dr. near U.S. 287 and South Boulder Road. (Courtesy Image /)

The proposal for Shaketown Dispensary, which included a site plan and architectural review, has received positive reactions from council members throughout the process.

City staff called the building "visually interesting and unique" in a report to the council. The store's design complements nearby medical buildings along nearby Old Laramie Trail, according to the report.

The front of the shop will be dedicated to the sale of retail marijuana, accessories, glass and apparel with a separate room for clones — immature plants that allow people to grow their own marijuana, according to the report.

Advertisement

City regulations updated in April 2015 allow for three retail marijuana dispensaries in the city's "green zone," a commercial zone around the Lafayette Marketplace shopping center that is far enough away from schools to meet state setbacks.

A lottery held last spring determined which applicant would be allowed to move forward with plans for the additional dispensary.

Eric Ryant, owner of Herbal Wellness, Lafayette's first and only retail dispensary at 400 W. South Boulder Road, Unit 2700, proposed the new building as a 2,981-square-foot shop southeast of U.S. 287 and South Boulder Road in Lafayette Tech Center.

Shaketown is planned to be roughly double the size of Herbal Wellness.

The Shaketown proposal was unanimously approved by six members of the city's planning commission during a Jan. 26 meeting.

Plans for a third dispensary are underway, but have yet to be submitted to the city, according to Mayor Christine Berg.